Automatic window latch



y H w. GILBERT AUTOMATIC WINDOW LATCH Filed Jan. 4, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l y 7, 1931- H. w. GILBERT 1,813,287

AUTOMATIC wmnow LATCH il J n- 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 cord which formsa part of the device and Patented July 7, 1931 sures Howlmnw. GILBERTQOF NAzAR-ETH. PENNSYLVANIA An roMATIo WINDOW L A'rcn kpplic'ati'o'n 'file'd January 4, 1-930. sen-a1 Na. 418,590.

ily actuated for disconnecting one sash from another by the application of a pull too.

which is designed to suspendfrom. the upper bar of thebottom sash of the window.

Another object ef-the invention is toprovide alat'ch 'w-hichma'y be directly controlled by the engagement of a finger :u'ndera movable element thereof or may be controlled from a distance through the medium of a pull cord as for example where the latch is used on'very'larg'e windows'w'here the division between the sashes would be located at a point beyond the reach of the average person. i

, A still fu'rtherob1e'ct of the invention is to provide a window latchof simple design,

panying drawings forming part of this speci fication, with the "understanding,- however, that the inventionis-not confined to any strict conformity with the showing of'the drawings but may be changedor modified so long as suchchanges or modifications mark no ma;

terial departure from the salient features of thein'vention as expressed in-"the appended claims.

In the drawings v Figure "-1 is a view'in front elevation of a window equipped with the device embodying the present-invention. I

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view through the contacting portions of the window sash and the latch'device.

Figure 3 is a sectional view similar to Figure 2 showing the lower sash raised to bring the latch adjacent a inullion of the upper sash.

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the latch minus the keeper.

Figure 5 is a top plan view of the keeper. Figure 6 is a rear view of the latch. Figure. 7 is a sectional view taken on the line 7-7'of Figure '3.

Figure 8 is plan view ofwthe bolt per se. .5

Figure an; a front elevation of a mullion guard. v

' Referring more particularlyto the drawin'gs wherein like numerals of reference in several views, the numerals 1 and'2 indicate respectively the upper and lower sash of a wi11cl'ow fra1ne,themeetingbars therebetween being indicated by the numerals 3. and 4, the

bar 4 of course, as will be readily seen, condi'c'ate corresponding .parts throughout the 5 Th'e'housing5 is open at the end which is flush with theinner side of the bar 4 and intermediate itsends' -a depending. wall .7 is

, bolt about to -be:described reciprocates. The latch bolt which works in the: chamber 9is indicated'generally by the numeral 10, this member being hollow as shown and having the'forward end face undercut as indicated at 11 while at the rearend extends therefromthe fiat tongue-12 whichprojects through the passage 8 under't'he wall'Z into therear of the housing, this tongue being provided with'a longitudinally extending-slot 13 and'at its:rear end with aneye 14 for the connection therewith: of one .end of'a pull cord 15. As shown thetop of: the housing 5is cut away at the rear 'or back end-thereof leaving only the sp'aced side wallpo'rtions 16. Pivota'lly mounted upon a pin 17 .eXtending face of the wall 7 and extends into the slot 13 in the rearwardly extending tongue of the latch bolt. The free end of the portion 20 of the latch actuator is transversely recessed as indicated at 22 and has pivotally mounted in this recess a roller 23 over which the pull cord 15 passes.

Associated with the inner end of the casing 5 is a keeper 24 which, as shown, is secured to the bottom bar 3 of the adjacent or upper sash 1 so that the latch bolt 10 may project thereinto when both sashes are in closed position.

In actuating the present latch bolt for the release of the s: sh, if the central portion of the window is low enough for a person to conveniently reach the actuator 18, the outer arm 20 of this actuator may be raised or swung outwardly on the pivot 17 so that the inner arm 21 will oscillate and draw the latch bolt 10 back to disengage it from the keeper 24. \Vhen the latch is thus drawn back a control spring 25 which is housed therein and bears at its forward end against the forward wall of the latch and at its rearward end against the inner face of the wall 7, will be compressed so that it will act to immediately project the latch outwardly again as soon as the actuator 18 is released. After retracting the latch bolt 10 and lifting the sash so that the bolt will be free from engagement with the keeper EZL the sash may be freely raised.

In order that the bolt 10 may pass the transverse mullions of the sash where the latch is used in connection with sash having a number of lights therein, I provide a guide element 26 in the form of a metal strip having a straight portion 27 which is secured to the face of the mullion and a curved portion 28 which extends downwardly and inwardly therebeneath so that as will be seen, when the sash is moved upwardly, the point of the bolt will ride onto the curved portion of the guide strip and will be forced back into the housing 5 so that it may pass the mullion without damage thereto.

Where the latch is used for securing the sash of windows of such a size that the central part thereof cannot be conveniently reached, the bolt 10 may be retracted by pulling upon the cord 15, the outer arm 20 of the actuator 18 here acting as a support and guide for the cord.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that except for the actual releasing of the bolt 10 from its keeper, the operation of the present latch device is entirely automatic as the bolt is properly retracted during the raising of the sash to permit it to pass the mullions and this retraction is also carried out in the lowering of the sash, the bolt automatically engaging in its keeper when the sash has been lowered to the completely closed position.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. In combination, a window latch having a reciprocable bolt and adapted to be mounted upon the top bar of a lower window sash, and a bolt guide and shifting element adapt ed to be mounted upon a mullion of an adj acent sash to shift said bolt when the first mentioned sash is lifted to permit the bolt to pass the mullion.

2. In combination, a window latch having a reciprocable bolt and adapted to be mounted upon the top bar of a lower window sash, and a bolt guide and shifting element adapted to be mounted upon a mullion of an adjacent sash to shift said bolt when the first mentioned sash is lifted to permit the bolt to pass the mullion, said bolt guiding and shifting element comprising a guide plate having a straight portion adapted to be secured to the mullion and a. curved portion extending inwardly beneath the mullion.

3. A latch of the character described, comprising an elongated bolt casing having each end open, said casing at one end having a portion of the top thereof cut away, a wall depending from the edge of the casing top adjacent the cut away portion and partially closing the casing, a bolt slidably positioned in the casing and movable for projection from the end remote from the partition, a tongue extending rearwardly from the bolt beneath said partition and having a longitudinal slot therein, said bolt having the rear thereof open, a spring member having one end ex; tended into the open rear end of the bolt and having its other end bearing against said partition, an actuator for the bolt comprising a substantially U-shaped member arranged in inverted position in the cut away rear portion of the casing and having the free end of one side extended downwardly into the slot of said tongue, said side of the actuator normally abutting said partition, a pivot pin connecting the actuator with the side walls of the casing, a pulley member car ried by said actuator at the free end of the other side thereof, and a pull cord extending across said pulley and having one end connected with said tongue.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature.

HOWVARD W. GILBERT. 

